Skippy
one-to-one counting caught in the negative
Skippy Skips a Number
Skippy was Dodo’s cousin, a quick little bird who counted too fast. Skippy loved to zoom — and sometimes, when Skippy zoomed, a number went whoosh right past, skipped and left behind.
Skippy counted four acorns: “One, two, four!” Then Skippy looked puzzled. Did you hear it? A number was missing! You knew which one. “Skippy,” you said gently, “you skipped three.” Skippy gasped. “I did! Poor little three, left out.”
You showed Skippy the slow way: touch each acorn, say one number for each. “One” — touch. “Two” — touch. “Three” — touch. “Four” — touch. No number skipped, no acorn missed. Skippy watched your careful finger and nodded.
Skippy tried again, slow this time, following you. “One, two, three, four.” Every acorn got its number, and no number got left behind. “There’s three!” Skippy cheered. “I found it! You helped me not skip.” Catching the skip made you sure of the count.
Skippy gave you a grateful flutter. “Fast is fun, but slow is true,” Skippy said. From now on, Skippy would touch each thing and count it once. And you — you had counted extra carefully yourself, just to catch a cousin’s skip.
Reading together with a grown-up? A card for the grown-up
For the grown-up: ask one question, then wait. When they answer, add one word to what they said. Tap the button when they have said something — that is one turn each, a circle. Nothing is recorded or kept.
Let them finish it
Say “Don't skip! One number for …” and stop. Let them finish it.
Now wait. Count slowly to five in your head. Their answer is worth the quiet.
Circles together: 0
The ShowTots ensemble
Skippy is one of the friends in ShowTots. Each friend shows you one idea by how they act; meet them all and you have the whole subject.
